Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
AMONG STAGE ROBBERS.

on our way 10 Stockton, and of the passen-
gers one was lieutenant in the regular
army, another tourist in search of health,
third a ranchman, and the other two
were prospectors and miners. None of us
had met each other previous to the start
those were perilous times, and the first
hall hour was spent in sizing each other
up. / don't know to what conclusion the
others came, but | looked over the four
men and said to myself:
The licutene mt ought to fight in case
We are attacked, but he seems too nervous
to be gamey. The tourist is i'll and has no
sand, but the ranehman and prospectors
can be Deepen 1ed on.
At that tirl ne tn coach which was not
stopped twice out of five trips was consid-
cred very Icky. In some few instances
the robbers were driven off, but in most
cases The passengers submitted TO being
held up and were glad TO get off with
nothing worse. | had with me over So
90 IN b tnk bills and gold and | was de-
lermlne not TO part with that money with
OFT ght. The ranchman had 81 900
aud tf.c miner about $3, 900, rs was after
ward learned, and both had determined 10
light. We had just forded the MERGED
rlVe', and had come TO a lonely stretch OF
roaG, when the ranchman pulled his re-
voiN er and eXaJained the caps. Itwas not
yet restored TO the holster when we heard
shout, the report of pistol, and the
stage came to a full stop. | reached for
my pistol, as did the miner, knowing that
robbers were at hand, but before mine was
cat the lieutenant liuug his arms around
ue and cried out:
For your lives, make no move or we
shall all be murdered Let them take all
we navel"
Al the same time the tourist flung him
SELF upon the miner, and neither of US had
weapon when robber showed himself
al either door. The ranchman was ready,
however, and he killed the man on his
side. lie would have also killed the other.
but his revolver failed on the second shot
and the 70 Der pushed his revolver in and
Lred with the revolver pressed against the
poor fellows heart \ third r)bber then
came up, and we were covered from either
door and called upon 10 surrender. The
JIG was up and We climbed out, delivering
our pistols butt foremost rs we left the
stagc. There were four Of us and only
TWO robbers, but when a man has the drop
on you and means business its no use to
Kick. We were placed in row, and
whiic one of the fellows kept us covered,
the other went through each man in turn.
The lieutenant shellcd out a watch and
$40, the tourist watch and 800, ard they
cot from the other two of Us the sums |
have previously named. | had my bank
h.i!s IN my boOtegs, but rs we were forced
to strip to our shirts. they found every last
dollar. While we were dressing the body
OF the ranchman was pulled from the
coach and robbed.
lttV~. 4 - ~.
10 shoot every one Of US after securing the
liunder in order 10 avenge the death of
,uelr cOmrade, but the unusually large
booty put them in good spirits, and they
underwent a change of heart The one
,'ao searched US stepped over the dead
body dozen times without seeming to
care whether it was log or a man. When
uualiy through with us he bent over the
rody and began robbing it, saying to his
companions:
Bill won't have any more use for
money, and we might as we'll take his dol
Jars along. Poor Bill We shan't never
play poker together again"
W hen they were ready to 90 they cut
the harness 50 that the stage would be de-
tanned couple of hours, broke up or
carried of every every firearm, and drank
Go our health from flask the tourist had
with him. They made of for the foothills
10 the east, having so little care for us that
neither OF them once looked back. | was
mad and no mistake, and the miner gave
uitcrance to his feelings In curses which
almost cracked the stones around us. We
Had been robbed of every dollar. and, with
tne money, our every prospect. The tour
80 could get more at Stockton, and the
..eUtenant was out only few dollars any
way. / was not yet dressed when he be.
can to put on airs over us, claiming that if
"c had not been so hasty he would have
managed the affair to the defeat of the
robbers, This added to my anger, and
sailed in and pounded him until he yelled
Tor mercy.
IL was just sunset when the stage was
ady 20 60 on, but there were two of us
Who did not propose TO 90 that way. We
ere unarmed, but determined, and while
ne stage numbered of down the road we
.aund club apiece and set out on the trail
a.. the robbers. Luckily for us, the miner
md been long in the country and seen a
-1od deal of the hunters life. w there.
ore had no difficulty in following the trail
Gutil darkness came on. The fe lows made
directly for the foothills and we lad NJ
doubt that thsS>S1ftment the follQYava 81, +,
e tie gr0llkt epr' They .rok matters
u
great way ahead Of US when darl less fell.
I was then for resting until daylight, but
the miner urged that we should push on.
From the topography of the country he
felt certain that ravine or rift would be
found not far away. We were then be-
tween the foothills and the true mountain,
in a narrow valley, and a full moon had
come up Without this light we could not
have made our way, as the ground was
much broken and powders lay thickly
scattered about.
We went ahead very cautiously up this
valley for about mile, and of a sudden
Oft opened TO the left and the glare of
campfire greeted our eyes. Ii was not
over 200 feet away. and after minute we
made out the forms of the two men as
they seemed to be preparing supper. We
had found them, but what of it2 They
had al, the arms and we were defenseless.
We crept back few yards TO hold con
sultation, and the miner carefully studied
| the lay of the land. He was of the opinion
that il was a short, dry rift, with a cave at